Thanks to Jan Ewoud Vos we have three 2ml samples OF PUREDISTANCE WHITE for CaFleureBon readers worldwide. The random winners are Freestyler, mim, Timea. Please email michelyn at cafleurebon dawt com with PUREDISTANCE WHITE SAMPLE as your subject, your complete mailing address and phone number by 3/20/2015 by 2:00 PM EST. This is a deadline and no exceptions if you are late. You must use the email from your comment so we know it is you.

We announce the winners only on site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume

Romano Ricci and The Juliette Has a Gun Perfume Line (images courtesy of Romano Ricci)

When Romano Ricci created his own perfume line in 2006, his vision was clear. He wanted to be different and he wanted to create perfume on his own terms. Perfume was in his blood but he did not want to venture down the inherited career path his family name had laid out for him. Romano’s grandmother, Nina Ricci, was the name behind one of the 20th century’s most successful perfumes, the delightful L’Air du Temps. Rebellious Romano had no interest in being delightful; for years he sought a future as far away from perfume as possible. Today he is more embracing of his lineage saying, “The first 10 years of your life shape the one that you become.” After dabbling in a career as a racing car driver, he came back to his roots and to create his own perfume brand, Juliette Has A Gun. Inspired by Shakespeare’s romantic tragedy, Romeo and Juliette, each perfume represents a different facet of Juliette’s personality. From the femme fatale that is Lady Vengeance to the coy Miss Charming, his perfumes arm a modern Juliette with weapons of mass seduction. When he launched his first fragrances, Romano had no idea whether his concept would succeed. “Niche perfumery at that time was very traditional, and the idea was to put a rock in the pond and make a splash. I didn’t have any idea it was going to be such a success.”

Speaking with Romano at the Australian launch of his latest perfume, Gentlewoman, I sensed his perfumes were also intended to be a tribute to the mystery of women and the Juliette he sees in the women in his life. It is a collection of perfumes made about and more importantly for women. He freely admits that if he had his way, he would only sell his perfumes to women. In her latest incarnation, Juliette is a modern woman, unconstrained by stereotypes. Playing with the codes of femininity and masculinity, she is full of contradictions. Romano describes her as a “velvet hand in an iron glove.” For the perfume’s campaign image, the model is dressed in a tuxedo. Her boyish stare is unfearful and challenging. She is the neo-Dandy. Perhaps it is no coincidence that Romano worked with photographer Sonia Sieff, whose father, Jeanloup Sieff famously photographed Yves Saint Laurent’s nude portrait, the French couturier that reinvented women’s fashion with Le Smoking tuxedo suit in 1966.

Gentlewoman has the same attitude of Yves Saint Laurent’s liberated Rive Gauche women. For the fragrance, Romano takes the classic Eau de Cologne concept and he embellishes it with some modern enhancements and a novel twist. I love Eau de Cologne and I wear everything from cost-effective 4711 to more luxurious Chanel Eau de Cologne. For me, the beauty of it lies in its simplicity. For Gentlewoman, Romano respects that simplicity. Sharp citrus notes mingle with bitter-green petitgrain and neroli oil. Further into the heart comes orange blossom absolute. Gentlewoman’s lavender note is clean and with the modern effect of Ambroxan, the result smells like a freshly pressed white cotton shirt. A touch of coumarin adds warmth to the generous layering of musk, namely Ambrettolide and one of Firmenich’s cuddlier trademarked molecules, Muscenone.

While Gentlewoman does smell classic it contradicts itself by smelling entirely modern. My favourite part of Gentlewoman is the novel almond note that courses through the heart notes of the perfume. This bitter anisic cloud floats effortlessly alongside the Eau de Cologne theme and finally evaporates into the folds of Gentlewoman’s soft animalic notes. It is a well-orchestrated reinvention of a centuries-old theme.

Juliette Has a Gun New packaging

Not only has Romano been working on this revamp of Eau de Cologne, fans of the brand are also being treated to a revamp of the brand’s packaging. Buyers now receive their Juliette Has A Gun perfume inside a modern foam square and the outer sleeve features a more pared back logo design. Even though Romano’s intended audience is women, and he gave me a cheeky scowl when I mentioned the word unisex, Gentlewoman has plenty to offer men like myself who are fans of a classic cologne fragrance. But this is to be expected. What man or woman would not fall prey to a Gentlewoman?

Disclosure – Bottle provided by Agence de Parfum, distributor of Juliette Has A Gun in Australia and New Zealand.

EIC Michelyn Camen has interviewed Romano Ricci four times for various publications, including ÇaFleureBon. You can read her 2012 interview here.

Thanks to Romano Ricci of Juliette Has A Gun we have a worldwide draw for a 50ml bottle of Gentlewoman (will not be in the USA until May 2015). To be eligible, please leave a comment with what you enjoyed about Clayton’s review of Gentlewoman, your favourite Juliette Has a Gun perfume and where you live. Which woman wearing Le Smoking is most memorable (from movies or historical); leave that in the comment as well. Draw closes March 21, 2015

We announce the winners on our site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume

Thanks to Stephen we have two draws for two readers; for our US readers we have a 30 ml bottle of Cilice (reviewed by Steve Johnson here) or 30 ml of Wald. If you live in the US you can also choose 15ml decants of both. For our international readers we have a sampler set. The random US winner is Judy who chose 30 ml of Cilice and the international winner of the sample set is Liz M. Please email michelyn at cafleurebon dawt com with the exact name of your prize ie EUPHORIUM BROOKLYN sampler set of Cilice and Wald by 2:00 PM EST 3/19/2015. This is a deadline and no exceptions if you are late. You must use your email from your comment so we know it is you.

We announce the winners on our site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebonand use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume